Kate Enters is the founder and director of ArtCan, an international arts organisation dedicated to supporting artists through opportunity, visibility, community and fair payment. Founded in 2013, ArtCan has grown from a peer-led exhibition initiative into a wide-reaching network of artists and art supporters across 26 countries, creating exhibitions, partnerships and platforms that help artists develop sustainable and connected careers.
An artist, curator and advocate, Enters brings together creative insight with a strong understanding of events, arts PR and organisational development. Her background includes work with high-profile cultural organisations and clients, alongside her ongoing role within the British design and architecture sector. Through ArtCan, she has built a model that responds directly to the realities many artists face: isolation, limited access, financial pressure and the need for professional support beyond traditional gallery structures.
In this conversation with The Flux Review, Kate Enters reflects on the founding vision behind ArtCan, the importance of artist-centred networks, the balance between visibility and sustainability, and why meaningful support for artists must be both practical and human.
You founded ArtCan to support artists outside traditional structures. What gap did you see in the art world that needed to be addressed?
When I founded ArtCan, I could see a divide between the quality of work artists were making and the support available to them once they were out of art school or not represented by a gallery. There are so many committed, talented artists doing serious work, but often in isolation, without the networks, visibility or professional support that can make a career feel viable rather than heroic.
What felt missing was something practical, professional and human. Artists needed more than encouragement, although that helps on the tougher days. They needed access, community and opportunities. ArtCan was created to help bridge that gap by giving artists a platform, a network and a sense that they weren’t having to figure everything out alone.
ArtCan has built a strong, international network of artists. How do you maintain a sense of community while continuing to grow?
Community has always been the heart of ArtCan, so as we grow, I’m very conscious of not losing that. Growth is wonderful, but only if it still feels personal. We never want artists to feel like they have joined a mailing list with ambitions.
For me, it’s about creating real points of connection through exhibitions, mentoring, conversations, shared opportunities and ongoing communication. It also means listening, properly listening, to what artists need, and making sure the organisation evolves with them. An international network can be incredibly energising, but only if people still feel seen, supported and part of something real.
Your role sits between artist support, curation and platform-building. How do you balance these different aspects when shaping ArtCan’s direction?
I really see those things as connected rather than separate. Artist support is the foundation because, without that, curation and platform-building can become a bit all surface and no substance. But support also needs to lead somewhere: to visibility, dialogue and proper opportunity.
So, I’m always asking how something genuinely serves artists. Sometimes that means curating exhibitions, sometimes it means building partnerships or developing digital projects, and sometimes it is the less visible work of advice, advocacy and connection. It’s a bit of a balancing act, as most worthwhile things are, but the constant is keeping artists at the centre of every decision.
What do you look for when selecting artists to join ArtCan, beyond the work itself?
The work is obviously central, but beyond that we look for commitment, openness and serious engagement with practice. ArtCan isn’t just a showcase. It is also a community, so it matters that artists want to be part of that shared environment.
We are drawn to people who are thoughtful about what they do, committed to developing their practice, and open to dialogue and exchange. Professionalism matters, but so does generosity. In my experience, the strongest members are often the ones who not only benefit from the network, but actively help make it stronger for everyone else as well.
Many artists struggle with visibility and access rather than talent. How does ArtCan actively help bridge that gap?
That’s exactly the issue ArtCan was set up to address. Talent and access are not the same thing. Unfortunately, the art world doesn’t always operate as a pure meritocracy, much as we might like it to. Geography, confidence, finances, gatekeeping and existing networks all play a part.
We try to bridge that gap by creating opportunities that build visibility in a thoughtful and professional way, whether through exhibitions, partnerships, digital platforms, editorial features or international projects. Just as importantly, we help artists think about how they present and communicate their work, because visibility isn’t only about being seen. It is about being understood in the right way too.
There is often a tension between artistic development and the pressure to commercialise. How do you guide artists in navigating that balance?
It’s a very real tension, and one a lot of artists feel deeply. I don’t think commercial success should come at the expense of artistic integrity, but I also don’t think artists should be made to feel that wanting to pay their rent somehow compromises the seriousness of their practice.
So, we try to help artists think strategically without losing sight of what makes their work distinctive. That can mean conversations around presentation, pricing, audience or positioning, but always starting from the work itself. It’s not about chasing the market at all costs. It is about building a sustainable practice in a way that still feels honest and true to the artist.
ArtCan creates opportunities across exhibitions, partnerships and digital platforms. What makes a collaboration feel genuinely valuable rather than simply another exposure opportunity?
A valuable collaboration is one built on mutual respect, clarity and a real sense of shared purpose. Exposure on its own isn’t enough. Artists can’t be expected to live on visibility alone, however flattering the wording might be.
For us, a collaboration needs to offer something tangible, whether that’s access to new audiences, thoughtful curation, professional development, credibility, sales potential or simply the chance to place work in the right context. The best collaborations create momentum and open doors in a way that lasts beyond the initial moment.
As the art world becomes increasingly global and digital, how do you see organisations like ArtCan evolving?
I think organisations like ArtCan have an increasingly important role to play in making the art world feel more connected and accessible. Digital platforms have opened up brilliant possibilities for artists to reach audiences far beyond geography, but they have also created a very crowded space where it is easy to be visible one minute and forgotten the next.
So, the challenge isn’t just to be online. It is to create meaningful structures within that space. Going forward, I think organisations like ours will need to be even more agile, combining physical and digital opportunities while continuing to build trust, context and community. Technology can extend reach beautifully, but it can’t replace human connection, and I don’t think it ever should.
Supporting artists also means understanding the realities of sustainability. What do you think needs to change to create more viable long-term careers for artists?
We need a much broader shift in how artists’ labour is understood and valued. Too often, artists are expected to absorb enormous financial and emotional pressure simply to stay visible or active, and that’s not sustainable. It is exhausting, and it also excludes far too many people.
Creating more viable long-term careers means fairer funding, better access to affordable workspace, more transparent opportunities and a stronger commitment to paying artists properly for their time and expertise. We also need to move beyond very narrow ideas of success. There isn’t one perfect model for a sustainable artistic career, and honestly, there never was.
What are you currently developing with ArtCan, and are there any upcoming projects or initiatives you’re particularly focused on?
At the moment, I’m focused on continuing to expand the ways ArtCan supports artists, both physically and digitally, while also strengthening the sense of connection across the network. We’re always looking at how to create more meaningful partnerships, stronger exhibition opportunities and more visibility for our artists in different contexts.
A big priority is making sure that any future growth stays artist-centred. It’s not about growth for growth’s sake. We all have enough of that language in our lives. It is about deepening the impact of what we do. We’re also thinking a lot about how to respond to the changing realities artists face and how to create opportunities that are genuinely relevant, sustainable and useful.
For more information, visit artcan.org.uk
